Compare the2024 Ford ExpeditionVS 2024 Mercedes G-Class

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Expedition are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The G-Class doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Expedition inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The G-Class doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Expedition offers an optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The G-Class doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Expedition (except STX/XLT) offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The G-Class only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Expedition and the G-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Expedition 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the G-Class. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the G-Class ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Expedition’s warranty.

The Expedition has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The G-Class doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 7 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Expedition gets better mileage than the G-Class:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Expedition uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The G-Class requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Expedition has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The G-Class doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Expedition higher (6 out of 10) than the Mercedes G-Class (3). This means the Expedition produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the G-Class every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Expedition, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the G-Class.

The Expedition stops shorter than the G-Class:

The Ford Expedition’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mercedes G-Class only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For superior ride and handling, the Ford Expedition has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mercedes G-Class has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Expedition offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The G-Class doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Expedition’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The G-Class doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Expedition’s wheelbase is 8.7 inches longer than on the G-Class (122.5 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Expedition is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the G-Class.

The Expedition XLT 4x4 handles at .76 G’s, while the G 550 pulls only .61 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Expedition XLT 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.1 seconds quicker than the G 550 (27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 30.7 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Expedition’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the G-Class’ (41 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Expedition has a greater minimum ground clearance than the G-Class (9.8 vs. 9.5 inches), allowing the Expedition to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Expedition Timberline’s minimum ground clearance is 1.1 inches higher than on the G-Class (10.6 vs. 9.5 inches).

For excellent aerodynamics, the Expedition has standard flush composite headlights. The G-Class has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The front grille of the Expedition uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The G-Class doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Expedition Timberline/Limited/King Ranch/Platinum uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The G-Class doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Expedition offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the G-Class can only carry 5.

The Expedition has 64.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the G-Class (171.9 vs. 107).

The Expedition has .1 inches more front headroom, 5.2 inches more front legroom, 7.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear legroom and 7.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the G-Class.

The Expedition’s cargo area provides more volume than the G-Class.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Expedition’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The G-Class doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Expedition’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The G-Class’ swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

The Expedition’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The G-Class’ rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Expedition XLT/Timberline/Limited/King Ranch/Platinum has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The G-Class doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes G-Class is limited to 7000 pounds. The Expedition offers up to a 9300 lbs. towing capacity.

The Expedition 4x4 with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Expedition can be unhitched and driven around locally. The G-Class can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Expedition’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The G-Class does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Expedition’s available exterior PIN entry system. The G-Class doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Expedition has a standard rear variable intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the G-Class only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Expedition has standard extendable sun visors. The G-Class doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Expedition is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The G-Class doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Ford Expedition/Expedition Max outsold the Mercedes G-Class by over seven to one during 2023.